U.S. patent application number 11/169835 was filed with the patent office on 2006-09-28 for method and apparatus for monitoring network device.
This patent application is currently assigned to FUJITSU LIMITED. Invention is credited to Hajime Iinuma.
Application Number | 20060215580 11/169835 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37035045 |
Filed Date | 2006-09-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060215580 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Iinuma; Hajime |
September 28, 2006 |
Method and apparatus for monitoring network device
Abstract
An apparatus, which provides status information on a status of a
target device to a network management system, includes: a request
unit that requests the target device to output the status
information; and a converting unit that converts a format of the
status information output from the target device to another format
which can be managed by the network management system.
Inventors: |
Iinuma; Hajime; (Kawasaki,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STAAS & HALSEY LLP
SUITE 700
1201 NEW YORK AVENUE, N.W.
WASHINGTON
DC
20005
US
|
Assignee: |
FUJITSU LIMITED
Kawasaki
JP
|
Family ID: |
37035045 |
Appl. No.: |
11/169835 |
Filed: |
June 30, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
370/254 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 41/0213 20130101;
H04L 41/0226 20130101; H04L 43/0817 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
370/254 |
International
Class: |
H04L 12/28 20060101
H04L012/28 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 23, 2005 |
JP |
2005-082880 |
Claims
1. A computer-readable recording medium that stores a computer
program that causes a computer that provides status information on
a status of a target device to a network management system to
execute: requesting the target device to output the status
information; and converting a format of the status information
output from the target device to another format which can be
managed by the network management system.
2. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 1,
wherein the computer program further causes the computer to execute
referring to access information for an access to the target device,
wherein the requesting includes requesting the status information
to the target device based on the access information.
3. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 1,
wherein the computer program further causes the computer to execute
referring to conversion information for converting the format of
the status information, wherein the requesting includes requesting
the status information to the target device based on the access
information.
4. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 1,
wherein the requesting includes requesting the target device to
output the status information via a serial line.
5. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 1,
wherein the computer program further causes the computer to execute
storing the status information converted so that the network
management system can identify the status information of each
target device.
6. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 1,
wherein the computer program further causes the computer to
execute: determining whether there is a change in the status
information output from the target device; and notifying the
network management system of the change when it is determined that
there is the change in the status information.
7. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 6,
wherein the determining includes determining whether there is the
change in the status information output from a specific target
device, and the notifying includes notifying the network management
system of the change when it is determined that there is the change
in the status information output from the specific target
device.
8. An apparatus that provides status information on a status of a
target device to a network management system, the apparatus
comprising: a request unit that requests the target device to
output the status information; and a converting unit that converts
a format of the status information output from the target device to
another format which can be managed by the network management
system.
9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the request unit
requests the target device to output the status information via a
serial line.
10. The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising: a first
storage unit that stores access information for an access to the
target device; and a second storage unit that stores conversion
information for converting the format of the status
information.
11. A method for providing status information on a status of a
target device to a network management system, the method
comprising: requesting the target device to output the status
information; and converting a format of the status information
output from the target device to another format which can be
managed by the network management system.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a technology for managing a
network device (such as a router) through a protocol other than the
simple network management protocol (SNMP).
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Conventionally, for monitoring an internet protocol (IP)
network, a network management system (NMS) obtains necessary
information from a management information base (MIB) of each device
in the network (such as a router) using the simple network
management protocol (SNMP).
[0005] However, the NMS cannot access the device that does not have
any unused IP port for SNMP communication (such as RJ45), and
therefore cannot monitor the IP network including such a
device.
[0006] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the above problem in the
conventional technology. A network management system (NMS) 100 can
access the MIB information of routers 300a and 300b that are
connected to the NMS 100 via an IP network. However, the NMS 100
cannot communicate with a router 300c using IP or SNMP, since the
router 300c does not have any unused port for connecting to the IP
network or to the NMS 100. As a result, monitoring cannot be
performed.
[0007] As for a device not supporting SNMP (hereinafter, "non-SNMP
device"), it has been suggested to assign a temporary IP address
and host name to the non-SNMP device, collect the status of the
non-SNMP device by receiving a trap message via a proxy agent, and
display the host name of the non-SNMP device (see, Japanese Patent
Application Laid-Open No. H10-4407).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] An apparatus according to an aspect of the present
invention, which provides status information on a status of a
target device to a network management system, includes: a request
unit that requests the target device to output the status
information; and a converting unit that converts a format of the
status information output from the target device to another format
which can be managed by the network management system.
[0009] A method according to another aspect of the present
invention, which is a method for providing status information on a
status of a target device to a network management system, includes:
requesting the target device to output the status information; and
converting a format of the status information output from the
target device to another format which can be managed by the network
management system.
[0010] A computer-readable recording medium according to still
another aspect of the present invention stores a computer program
that causes a computer, which provides status information on a
status of a target device to a network management system, to
execute the above method.
[0011] The above and other objects, features, advantages and
technical and industrial significance of this invention will be
better understood by reading the following detailed description of
presently preferred embodiments of the invention, when considered
in connection with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a problem in a
conventional technology;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a network including a proxy
device according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 3 is an outside view of a router connected to the proxy
device;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the proxy device;
[0016] FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a collection of status
information;
[0017] FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a conversion of the status
information;
[0018] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a notification of a change in the
status information;
[0019] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a command database;
[0020] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a definition file;
[0021] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of the status information;
and
[0022] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of the status information
converted to the MIB format.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0023] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are explained
below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0024] Some network devices (such as routers) include, other than
the IP port, a serial port for TELNET communication (such as
RS-232C port/COM port). Furthermore, some network devices output
status information in response to a predetermined command.
[0025] Therefore, in the present invention, a proxy device is
arranged between the NMS and the network device to be monitored.
The proxy device requests the network device to output status
information, converts the format of the status information to a
format that can be referred to by the NMS (such as the MIB format),
and stores the converted status information.
[0026] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a network including the proxy
device according to an embodiment of the present invention. A
dotted line 900 represents an IP network, and a solid line 910
represents a serial line.
[0027] A network management system (NMS) 100 is connected to a
proxy device 200 via the IP network. The NMS 100 accesses the
management-information-base (MIB) information stored in the proxy
device 200 using SNMP.
[0028] The NMS 100 may be directly connected to the router 300 (in
other words, not via the proxy device 200 as shown in FIG. 1), to
access the MIB information of the router 300 directly.
[0029] The MIB information described in the present embodiment
refers to MIB or MIB-II, which is transmitted to inform an external
device of the status of the own device. MIB is defined as RFC1156
and MIB-II is defined as RFC1213.
[0030] The proxy device 200 is arranged between the NMS 100 and the
network device to be monitored by the NMS 100, that is, routers
300d to 300f.
[0031] The proxy device 200 is realized by providing the following
respective units to a general personal computer, workstation, or
server apparatus, or by storing a program for making a personal
computer, workstation, or a server apparatus function as the
respective units, or by reading the program via a portable
recording medium or a network.
[0032] The proxy device 200 is connected to the NMS 100 and
performs an SNMP communication with the NMS 100. The proxy device
200 is also connected to the router 300f via a protocol other than
the protocol used in the IP network, such as the SNMP. In the
present embodiment, the proxy device 200 is connected to the router
300f via TELNET, which is one of a command line interface (CLI) via
a serial line.
[0033] The proxy device 200 is also connected to the routers 300d
and 300e via a repeater 500 (such as an access router). Even when
the proxy device 200 includes no or little COM port (RS232C port),
the proxy device 200 can be connected to many network devices (such
as routers 300d and 300e) via the repeater 500 having many COM
ports. In the present embodiment, the proxy device 200 and the
repeater 500 are connected via the IP network. However, the proxy
device 200 and the repeater 500 may be connected via other lines,
such as the serial line.
[0034] The proxy device 200 instructs the router 300 to output the
status information, and receives the status information output from
the router 300. Further, the proxy device 200 converts the format
of the status information to the MIB format or the MIB-II format,
so that the NMS 100 can refer to the status information.
[0035] The router 300 is a general router that can execute a
command to output the status information on the own status via the
RS232C line. A general router can be TELNET-connected with a
maintenance terminal via an RS232C port, and outputs the status
information in response to the instruction of the maintenance
terminal. Accordingly, explanation for the processing in which the
router 300 outputs the status information is omitted.
[0036] The router 300 has a port for the serial line (RS232C
port/COM port) so that the maintenance terminal can be connected
via the telnet protocol, in addition to the IP port (RJ45 and the
like) for SNMP communication.
[0037] FIG. 3 is an outside view of the router 300. The router 300
has an RJ45 connector 310 for connecting one or a plurality of STP
cables for the IP network, and a display section 320 that indicates
the status of the line connected to these connectors, on the front
face thereof. Further, the router 300 has an RS232C port/COM port
340 for connecting the maintenance terminal, as well as a power
supply connector 330 on the back face thereof. The router 300 also
has a function of outputting the own status to the maintenance
terminal in response to an instruction from the maintenance
terminal connected to the RS232C port/COM port 340.
[0038] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the proxy device 200. The proxy
device 200 includes an arithmetic unit, a storage unit, an
auxiliary storage unit, and an input/output unit (not shown) as in
a general computer (personal computer, workstation, server device,
and the like).
[0039] An IP port 201 is used for connecting the proxy device 200
to the NMS 100 via the SNMP over the IP network. An RS232C port 202
is a port for connecting the proxy device 200 to an RS232C port of
the router 300 via the TELNET over the serial line.
[0040] The proxy device 200 may include an IP port, instead of the
RS232C port 202, for connecting the proxy device 200 to the RS232C
port of the router 300 via the repeater 500 as shown in FIG. 2.
Alternatively, the proxy device may include both of the RS232C port
and the IP port.
[0041] A proxy TELNET unit 210 in the proxy device 200 receives an
instruction to collect the status of devices to be monitored, from
the NMS 100.
[0042] A command executing unit 220 in the proxy device 200
determines a device to be monitored, from which the status
information is collected through TELNET connection. Further, the
command executing unit 220 connects the proxy device 200 to the
device to be monitored, which is determined to be an object from
which the status information is collected, and instructs the device
to output the status information on the status of the own device.
The command executing unit 220 further converts the format of the
status information to the MIB format or the MIB-II format.
[0043] A command database (DB) 230 in the proxy device 200
includes: an IP address for specifying of which router's
information the status information is; a file name of a definition
file defining commands for logging in to the router 300 and for
instructing the router 300 to output the status information; access
router information on an access router; and login information
indicating where the information for logging in to the router 300
is stored.
[0044] A proxy SNMP unit 240 includes MIB information 250 of the
router 300, which is converted by the command executing unit
220.
[0045] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a definition file
[Cis2611.sub.--12.sub.--1.cfg]. The part shown by [SysObjectID]
indicates an ID for uniquely identifying each router 300. The part
shown by [#login command] indicates a command to log in to the
router 300, upon reception of the login instruction, using a
password stored at the address indicated by the login information
in the command DB 230. The part shown by [#logout command]
indicates a command to finish the processing upon reception of the
logout instruction. The part shown by [#read command] indicates a
command for causing the router 300 to output the status information
by executing a "show interface" command, using the password stored
at the address indicated by the login information. The part shown
by [#analysis information definition] indicates a definition to
convert the format of the status information to the MIB format or
the MIB-II format.
[0046] The proxy SNMP unit 240 stores the status information
converted to the MIB format or the MIB-II format.
[0047] FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a processing performed by the proxy
device 200 to cause the routers 300d and 300e, which are connected
to the proxy device 200 via the repeater 500, to output the status
information.
[0048] The timing for outputting the status information of the
router 300 is optional. For example, in the present embodiment, it
is assumed that the following processing is performed at an
interval of 15 minutes.
[0049] The access router, which is the repeater 500, has an IP
address of [1.2.3.1]. The router 300d is connected to the "0" port
of the access router, and the router 300e is connected to the "1"
port of the access router.
[0050] [Step S311] The proxy TELNET unit 210 refers to the command
DB 230 to obtain the definition file in which information for
connecting to the routers 300d and 300e is recorded.
[0051] In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the status
information of the router 300d connected to the youngest port S0 is
output first. Based on the IP address [1.2.3.1], the port [S0], and
the access router information in the command DB 230, the definition
file [Cis2611.sub.--12.sub.--1.cfg] associated with [1.2.3.1/S0] is
specified.
[0052] [Step S313] The proxy TELNET unit 210 logs in to the router
300d according to the login information held in the command DB 230.
More specifically, the proxy TELNET unit 210 issues the #login
command defined in the definition file Cis2611Xm shown in FIG. 9. A
password described in a /pass/enablepass file (not shown) is used
to log in to the router 300d.
[0053] [Step S315] The command executing unit 220 causes the router
300d to output the status information according to the read command
in the command DB 230. After becoming a user having an authority of
executing the read command based on the information in the [#read
command] section in the definition file shown in FIG. 9, the router
300d executes the [show interface] command, which is a command to
output the status information of the own status. The router 300d
executes the instructed command, and outputs the status information
shown in FIG. 10.
[0054] [Step S317] The command executing unit 220 converts the
status information output from the router 300d at step S315 to the
MIB format, according to the condition described in the definition
file. More specifically, the information shown in FIG. 10 is
converted to the MIB format shown in FIG. 11, according to the
condition indicated by [#analysis information definition] shown in
FIG. 9. The dialog balloons shown in FIG. 11 are provided for the
convenience of explanation.
[0055] The processing at step S317 will be explained with reference
to FIGS. 6, 10, and 11. In the present embodiment, as an example of
generating the MIB information from the information output by the
router at step S315, an example of generating items of [ifindex],
[ifDescr], [ifAdminStatus], and [ifOperStatus], which are items in
a part of the MIB information, will be explained.
[0056] [Step S511] The command executing unit 220 generates
information of ifindex, which is an item in the MIB information,
based on the information indicating the status of the own device
output by the router. In the present embodiment, a head portion of
a line including [is] and [line protocol is], defined by [ifDescr]
in the [#analysis information definition], is extracted as a port.
In present the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, three ports, that is,
[FastEthernet 0/0] ([Ethernet] is a registered trademark),
[FastEthernet 0/1] ([Ethernet] is a registered trademark), and
[FastEthernet 1/0] ([Ethernet] is a registered trademark) are
extracted. [1.3.6.1.2.1.2.2.1.1.0] and the like described at the
left end in FIG. 11 are object identification (OID), and are values
defined by the regulation of the RFC-1156, and hence, the
explanation thereof is omitted.
[0057] [Step S513] The command executing unit 220 allocates ifindex
for the number of ports obtained at step S511. In the present
embodiment, since three ports are detected at step S511, the
command executing unit 220 allocates three ifindex (0 to 2)
sequentially from 0.
[0058] [Step S515] The command executing unit 220 generates the
information of ifAdminStatus, which is an item in the MIB
information, based on the information indicating the status of the
own device output by the router. In the present embodiment, if a
word located at a position surrounded by [is] and [line protocol
is] is [up], [1] is generated, and if the word is [down], [2] is
generated, as the MIB information of ifAdminStatus.
[0059] [Step S517] The command executing unit 220 generates the
information of ifOperStatus, which is an item in the MIB
information, based on the information indicating the status of the
own device output by the router. In the present embodiment, if a
word following [is] and [line protocol is] is [up], [1] is
generated, and if the word is [down], [2] is generated, as the MIB
information of ifOperStatus.
[0060] [Step S319] The command executing unit 220 stores the MIB
information generated based on the information indicating the
status of the own device output by the router at step S317, in a
format which can be determined of which network device the MIB
information is. In the present embodiment, the command executing
unit 220 stores the information relating to the device (router
300d) connected to the 0th port of the access router 1.2.3.1,
(repeater 500), in a file name of [10.11.12.1] in the proxy device,
by referring to the IP address section in the command DB shown in
FIG. 8. Upon reception of a request to refer to the status
information relating to the IP address 10.11.12.1 indicating the
router 300d from the NMS 100, the proxy SNMP unit 240 makes the NMS
100 refer to the information of the file [10.11.12.1].
[0061] Since the proxy device 200 performs the processing described
above, the NMS 100 can refer to the MIB information of the router
300d, which is a network device not connected to the IP network and
hence incapable of using the SNMP.
[0062] In the example shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the MIB information
is updated at a predetermined interval. However, as shown in FIG.
7, the MIB information may be updated only when there is any change
in the MIB information, and the NMS 100 may be informed of the
change only when there is any change in the MIB information.
[0063] [Step S711] The proxy SNMP unit 240 compares the MIB
information 250 stored therein, which is previously generated by
the command executing unit 220, with the MIB information currently
generated by the command executing unit 220, which is shown in FIG.
11.
[0064] [Step S713] When the MIB information currently generated by
the command executing unit 220 is different from the MIB
information 250 stored therein at step S711 (Step S711: Yes), the
proxy SNMP unit 240 substitutes the MIB information stored therein
by the MIB information currently generated by the command executing
unit 220.
[0065] [Step S715] The proxy SNMP unit 240 determines whether the
router 300 to be monitored, whose MIB information 250 has been
changed, is a monitoring object of the TRAP based on whether there
is a description of "TRAP" in the [ifOperStatus] section of the
[#analysis information definition] in the definition file
[Cis2611.sub.--12.sub.--1.cfg]. In the present embodiment, since
there is the description of "TRAP" in the [ifOperStatus] section of
the [#analysis information definition] in the definition file
[Cis2611.sub.--12.sub.--1.cfg], it is determined that the router
300 is an object of TRAP.
[0066] [Step S717] When the proxy SNMP unit 240 determines at step
S715 that the router 300 to be monitored, whose MIB information 250
has been changed, is the monitoring object of the TRAP (step S715:
Yes), the proxy SNMP unit 240 sends TRAP to the NMS 100.
[0067] Since the proxy device 200 functions as described above, the
NMS 100 that performs network monitoring using the SNMP can also
manage the network device, which cannot be connected due to
unavailability of unused port of the IP network for connection, by
using the information of the MIB or the MIB-II.
[0068] In the present embodiment, the proxy device 200 and the
router 300 to be monitored are connected through the TELNET via the
RS232C port/COM port to the maintenance terminal. However, the
present invention is not limited thereto.
[0069] In the present embodiment, there is one NMS 100 and one
router 300 to be monitored that are connected to the proxy device
200. However, the NMS 100 and the router 300 to be monitored may be
provided in a plurality of numbers.
[0070] In the present embodiment, the proxy device 200 itself
includes the command DB or holds the collected MIB information, but
these may be held externally via a line and the like.
[0071] The processing for converting the status information to the
MIB information, which is explained in the present embodiment, is
an example, and the conversion method is not limited to the method
described herein.
[0072] The NMS that monitors the network with the SNMP can manage
also a network device, which cannot be connected due to
unavailability of unused port of the IP network for connection, by
using the MIB or MIB-II information.
[0073] Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur
to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its
broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and
representative embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly,
various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit
or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the
appended claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *